Pigskin Dispatch Podcast’s Darin Hayes and I discuss the life and story of Johnny Poe, one of six Poe brothers who played for Princeton. Johnny took an unusual path, deciding against a life in business or the law, and instead chose a life of adventure, which led to his death in battle.
Watch or listen to the podcast here or on other podcast feeds. You can read the original Tidbit below.
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Fantastic storytelling on a lesser-known figure. The tension between athletic achievement and personal destiny really comes through here, especially how Poe's choice to reject convention mirrors the era's romanticism about heroic death. I've always found it interesting how many early football players ended up in military service. It kind of shaped the sport's identity in ways we stil feel today.